Meta-Analysis: Cannabinoids Improve Sleep Quality, But CBD Alone Does Not ↗
Meta-analysis of 6 RCTs (1,077 patients): cannabinoids improve sleep quality, but the effect is driven by non-CBD formulations. CBD alone showed no benefit.
Research library — page 98
Browse more cannabis research, findings, methods, and limitations.
Three Novel Synthetic THC Analogs Identified in European Consumer Products ↗
Three novel semisynthetic THC analogs found in European products marketed as "CB9," "tresconol," and "CBx." No safety data exists for any of them.
43% of Cystic Fibrosis Patients Surveyed Use Cannabis, Mostly for Medical Reasons ↗
Survey of 110 Canadian CF patients: 43% use cannabis, 85% for medical reasons (stress, insomnia, anxiety). Most rate it effective. Legalization reduced stigma.
Frequent Cannabis Users Are Less Likely to Get Breast and Prostate Cancer Screenings ↗
Analysis of 229,711 adults: frequent cannabis use linked to 30% lower breast and 40% lower prostate cancer screening adherence. No effect on cervical or colorectal screening.
Three Decades of Data Show Persistent Racial Disparities in Youth Cannabis Use ↗
30 years of YRBS data: Black youth have highest cannabis-only use (12.6%), AI/AN youth have highest co-use (20.1%). Disparities have persisted since 1991.
Weight Loss Drug Danuglipron May Bind to Cannabinoid Receptors Better Than THC ↗
Computational study: oral weight loss drug danuglipron showed higher binding affinity for cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 than THC or endocannabinoids.
Could the Endocannabinoid System Help Treat Malignant Hyperthermia? ↗
Review proposes endocannabinoid system modulation as potential adjunctive therapy for malignant hyperthermia, based on CB1-mediated calcium regulation in muscle.
CBD Helps Rats Forget Meth-Associated Memories Through Dopamine Receptors in the Hippocampus ↗
Rat study: CBD accelerated extinction of meth-seeking behavior and prevented relapse. Both effects required D1 dopamine receptors in the hippocampal dentate gyrus.
Cannabis Use Disorder Is the Second Most Common Substance Use Disorder Among Young People Worldwide ↗
Global data: cannabis use disorder affects 10.7 million young people (ages 10-24), second only to alcohol (13.3 million). Europe and the Americas have the highest burden.
Real-Time Mobile Support Reduced Cannabis Cravings More Than Therapy Alone ↗
RCT: motivational therapy plus mobile-triggered support reduced cannabis temptation and dependence more than therapy alone in 70 young adults with CUD.
Medical Cannabis Patients With Sleep Problems Saw Greater Pain Improvements Over 12 Months ↗
1,139 UK chronic pain patients on medical cannabis: those with sleep problems showed greater pain improvements over 12 months than those without.
Taxing E-Cigarettes Reduced Teen Marijuana Use, Suggesting the Two Are Complements ↗
Policy analysis: each $1 increase in e-cigarette taxes reduced teen marijuana use by 1.0-1.5 percentage points. No effect on harder drugs. Effects fade over time.
CBD-Rich Cannabis Reduced Family Accommodation Burden for Parents of Autistic Children ↗
Open-label study: CBD-rich cannabis for autistic children reduced family accommodation burden and parental distress at 3 and 6 months.
CBD-Rich Cannabis Reduced Anxiety and Repetitive Behaviors in Autistic Children Over 6 Months ↗
65 autistic children on CBD-rich cannabis for 6 months: reduced anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Anxiety reduction predicted subsequent behavior improvement.
92% of Teens Seeking Help to Quit Vaping Also Use Cannabis ↗
223 teens seeking to quit vaping: 92% also use cannabis, 69% in the past month. Heavier cannabis use linked to more frequent nicotine vaping.
Cannabis May Break the Daily Cycle of PTSD, Stress, and Poor Sleep in Veterans ↗
3-month daily diary study of 74 veterans: cannabis use predicted lower next-day stress, which predicted fewer PTSD symptoms and better sleep quality.
Veterans' Daily Cannabis Use Linked to Same-Day Stress Relief and Better Sleep, But Alcohol Use Worsened Next Day ↗
Veterans daily diary: cannabis linked to same-day lower stress and better sleep with no next-day effects. Poor sleep drives next-day stress and alcohol use.
Heavy cannabis use linked to higher risk of erectile dysfunction and low testosterone ↗
A large US claims database study found men with cannabis abuse/dependence diagnoses had nearly four times the short-term risk of erectile dysfunction and double the risk of low testosterone compared to matched controls, though effects attenuated over longer follow-up.
Cannabis abuse/dependence linked to higher rates of bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer ↗
A population-level claims analysis found cannabis abuse/dependence associated with 2.8 to 4.2 times higher risk of bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer, even after matching on tobacco use and other risk factors.
Systematic review finds early evidence that CBD may help with oral pain and inflammation ↗
A systematic review of 7 clinical studies found topical CBD showed promise for oral pain, gum inflammation, and mouth sores with no serious side effects, though evidence remains preliminary due to small study sizes and varying methods.
Mouse study suggests endocannabinoid receptors help mediate anti-inflammatory effects in colitis ↗
A mouse study found that CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are involved in the anti-inflammatory action of a muscarinic receptor drug in colitis, revealing crosstalk between the cholinergic and endocannabinoid systems in gut inflammation.
CBD relieves nerve pain in mice partly through the opioid system ↗
CBD reduced nerve pain in mice through a mechanism involving peripheral mu and delta opioid receptors, suggesting it may engage the body's own pain-relief pathways without being an opioid itself.
Chronic pain patients who use cannabis more frequently show weaker emotion regulation abilities ↗
Among 104 chronic pain patients on long-term opioid therapy, weaker emotion regulation ability predicted more frequent cannabis use, while pain severity did not, suggesting emotional factors may drive cannabis use more than pain itself.
CBD and THC nanoemulsions showed anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects in mice ↗
Nanoemulsion-delivered CBD, THC, and their combinations reduced seizures and brain oxidative stress in mice, with low-dose combinations matching the anticonvulsant drug valproic acid in delaying seizure progression.
Systematic review: medicinal cannabis may offer short-term mental health relief but is not a cure ↗
A systematic review of 49 controlled studies across 11 mental health diagnoses found CBD may offer short-term anxiety relief and CBD/THC combinations helped with cannabis withdrawal and sleep, but THC worsened psychosis and no long-lasting benefits were found for any product.
Dual-action drugs targeting cannabinoid and PPAR receptors reduced binge eating in rats ↗
Two drugs that simultaneously target cannabinoid CB1 and PPAR receptors reduced binge eating in rats and corrected disrupted appetite-regulating brain pathways, offering a potentially safer dual-target approach than CB1 blockers alone.
Review explores potential of medicinal cannabis for sickle cell disease complications ↗
A narrative review examines how the endocannabinoid system's roles in pain, inflammation, and vascular function make medicinal cannabis a potential therapeutic option for sickle cell disease, though clinical evidence is still very limited.
Nanoencapsulated CBD reduced panic-like behaviors in mice at very low doses ↗
Nanoencapsulated CBD reduced panic-like responses in mice confronted by a venomous snake at much lower doses than standard CBD, with confirmed delivery to fear-processing brain regions via both injection and nasal routes.
Full-spectrum cannabis extract protected gut and organs after stroke in rats ↗
Full-spectrum cannabis extract improved neurological function, protected gut barrier integrity, and reduced oxidative stress and lung inflammation in rats after induced stroke, showing broad protective effects beyond the brain.
Recreational cannabis laws had limited overall effect on drinking and smoking, but varied by group ↗
A study of 4.8 million US adults found recreational cannabis laws produced small decreases in drinking and smoking only after dispensaries opened, with effects varying significantly across age, sex, race, and income groups.
Different CBD:THC ratio oils showed distinct benefits for fatty liver disease in rats ↗
A rat study comparing five cannabis oils found THC-rich formulations best reduced liver fat and damage while CBD-rich oils better lowered blood pressure, with 1:1 and 2:1 CBD:THC ratios offering benefits across multiple metabolic syndrome features.
90-day CBD-rich hemp extract study in rats found no major toxicity but flagged kidney and liver signals ↗
A 90-day rat safety study of CBD-rich hemp extract found no organ damage or behavioral changes at doses up to 35 mg/kg/day, but detected sex-dependent kidney and liver biomarker shifts, with CBD accumulating most in muscle, skin, and kidneys.
CBD/THC extract reduced inflammation and improved movement after spinal cord injury in rats ↗
A cannabis extract with equal parts CBD and THC reduced neuroinflammation, prevented tissue damage expansion, and improved movement recovery in rats after spinal cord injury, working across both acute and chronic phases.
Most Colombians were indifferent to tobacco and marijuana control policies in survey ↗
A survey of 147 Colombian adults found that roughly a third expressed no opinion on tobacco or marijuana control policies, with the remainder split between consistent support, conditional support, and blanket opposition.
Cannabinoids shaped brain activity and new neuron growth in zebrafish ↗
In zebrafish, CB1 cannabinoid receptors maintained excitatory brain activity in cognitive regions, while cannabinoid exposure reduced neural stem cell proliferation but increased the survival and integration of newly born neurons.
CB2 cannabinoid receptor effects on the blood-brain barrier in HIV depended on receptor levels ↗
In HIV blood-brain barrier models, CB2 cannabinoid receptor activation improved barrier integrity in cells with high receptor expression but worsened damage in cells with low expression, suggesting individual variation may determine whether cannabis helps or harms.
Cannabis use leaves a distinct DNA methylation signature in people with first-episode psychosis ↗
A meta-analysis of 682 participants found cannabis use was associated with specific DNA methylation changes at immune and mitochondrial genes, independent of tobacco, with evidence that psychosis status may modify how cannabis affects the epigenome.
Recreational marijuana dispensaries showed a trend toward lower opioid deaths, but results were not significant ↗
A synthetic control analysis found recreational marijuana dispensary openings in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon were associated with lower opioid death rates, but the reductions were not statistically significant despite being consistent across all three states.
Cannabis use during pregnancy linked to dramatically higher rates of depression, panic, and suicidal ideation ↗
A study of over 2 million pregnant patients found cannabis use associated with 2.7x higher depression, 5.5x higher panic disorder, 10.7x higher suicidal ideation, and 13.6x higher alcohol abuse, though confounding by underlying risk factors is likely.
Year-long tracking of synthetic cannabinoids in Mayotte showed rapidly shifting and consolidating market ↗
Year-long monitoring of synthetic cannabinoids in Mayotte identified 13 different compounds across 195 street samples, revealing a market that consolidated under dominant suppliers but whose specific products changed dramatically between monthly campaigns.
Review: four years of cat-and-mouse chemistry as manufacturers evade China's synthetic cannabinoid ban ↗
A review of four years since China's 2021 synthetic cannabinoid ban documents at least six chemical strategies manufacturers use to evade the legislation, including a DIY synthesis approach that converts legal precursors into potent banned compounds.
Biologic tests detected nearly three times more prenatal cannabis use than self-reports ↗
In a prospective study of 9,116 pregnant individuals, biologic testing detected nearly three times more cannabis use than self-reports, with the gap widening as pregnancy progressed. Younger age, being unmarried, and high stress were associated with underreporting.
Review explores how the endocannabinoid system connects stress, nausea, vomiting, and cannabis hyperemesis ↗
A review examines the endocannabinoid system's role in regulating nausea, vomiting, and stress, explaining how chronic cannabis use may dysregulate these processes and contribute to the paradoxical vomiting seen in CHS and CVS.
GLP-1 drugs linked to lower suicide risk in diabetes, but the benefit vanished in cannabis use disorder patients ↗
In 6.4 million diabetes patients, GLP-1 drugs were linked to 37% lower suicide risk, but this benefit disappeared entirely in patients with cannabis use disorder, who faced 5.5x higher risk regardless of medication.
Prenatal THC exposure altered dopamine receptor genes and brain cell excitability in adolescent male rats ↗
Prenatal THC exposure reprogrammed dopamine receptor expression in the prefrontal cortex of adolescent rats through epigenetic changes, with male offspring showing the strongest effects on D2 receptors, neuron excitability, and neural guidance systems.
Older adults showed selective cognitive effects after smoking cannabis in naturalistic lab study ↗
A crossover study of 31 adults aged 65-78 found smoking cannabis impaired trail-making performance but not most other cognitive tests, with blood THC levels poorly predicting cognitive effects in this age group.
Low-dose cannabis edibles impaired verbal memory but not other cognitive functions in regular users ↗
A lab study of 22 regular users found cannabis edibles (mean 7.3 mg THC) impaired verbal memory but left executive function and visual attention intact, with blood THC levels failing to predict cognitive effects.
Highly purified CBD resolved two cases of life-threatening status epilepticus that resisted standard treatments ↗
Two patients with life-threatening status epilepticus that failed standard treatments achieved seizure resolution after adding highly purified CBD via nasogastric tube, with continued benefit at 6 months and no adverse events.
Cannabinol (CBN) showed anti-inflammatory effects in skin cells through a TRPV1 receptor mechanism ↗
CBN reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased anti-inflammatory markers in human skin cells, with the key finding that its reduction of itch-associated IL-31 was mediated specifically through TRPV1 receptors.
National survey maps how cannabis use methods vary by age, race, sex, and income in the US ↗
A national survey of 17,000 US cannabis users found smoking dominant (77%) but methods varied by demographics: women preferred topicals, young adults vaped, Black adults were 5.3x more likely to use blunts, and older adults used sublingual products.